Hu-Friedy Serota

CHICAGO, Illinois--Hu-Friedy, a leader in dental instruments and products, has announced that Ken Serota, Hu-Friedy’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, has been named President of the company, effective immediately. To read more about Hu-Friedy, go to Hu-Friedy.Ron Saslow will remain CEO and become Chairman of the Board. Dick Saslow, who has been Chairman of the Board, will serve as chairman emeritus and continue as a senior advisor and member of the Board of Directors.In making the announcement, Ron Saslow noted, “Ken applies a data-driven, analytical approach to business that will be particularly important in identifying global growth opportunities, maximizing value from the distribution channel, and guiding new product development initiatives. Over the course of the last three years, Ken has been our chief financial officer and executive vice president, making it possible for Hu-Friedy to achieve our financial targets despite the difficult economic climate in which we currently operate.”Serota has been affiliated with Hu-Friedy since 2004, where he was a member of the company’s advisory board. Previously, he was president and chief executive officer of Liberty Group Publishing, which he led from initial startup to eventual sale in conjunction with Leonard Green and Partners--a Los Angeles-based private equity firm with $9 billion under management. While at Liberty, Serota more than doubled the organization’s revenue by acquisitions, increasing market penetration and introducing additional niche products to complement the core newspaper product. In 2001, He was cited by Crain’s Chicago Business as one of the top 40 business leaders under the age of 40. Before joining Liberty Group the 49-year-old Serota, who is an attorney and CPA, held various executive level positions in the Chicago area where he led such business functions as mergers and acquisitions, business process optimization, and overall financial management. “This is a wonderful time to be working side by side with Ron Saslow,” said Serota. “The Saslow family has built a solid business foundation and a globally recognized brand by maintaining a century-long tradition that combines old-world hand craftsmanship with state-of-the-art technology to meet the needs and enhance the skills of dental practitioners. Hu-Friedy has incredible opportunities on the horizon and we will continue to focus on developing products, services, and programs that help dental professionals perform at their best.” Fo more information, go to www.hu-friedy.com.To comment on this topic, go to community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/.